FARNBOROUGH: Ukraine situation will not affect UAC cooperation

Relationships between Russia's aerospace industry and the West will not be affected by the backlash against the country's actions in Ukraine, believes Mikhail Pogosyan, president of the United Aircraft holding company.

"The aircraft industry is focused on long term cooperation, and changes in the political situation should not affect cooperation in the long term," he said at a briefing at Farnborough.

United Aircraft has partnered with a number of European and North American aerospace companies on its two main commercial programmes, the Sukhoi Superjet 100 regional jet and the in-development Irkut MC-21 narrowbody, notably engine-makers Snecma and Pratt & Whitney and Alenia Aermacchi.

"All our international partners are keen on further cooperation. The basis behind this cooperation is mutual benefit," he says.

The situation in the military market is different. "All our main suppliers are domestic," says Pogosyan. "And any foreign suppliers can quickly be matched in the domestic market."

Russia is believed to have avoided displaying any military aircraft at Farnborough because of the sensitivity of the Ukraine crisis. Its Sukhoi Su-35 was one of the flying display highlights of last year's Paris air show. However, Pogosyan says the main reason the fighter is absent is because the manufacturer is focusing on the domestic market. "Our main focus here at Farnborough is the commercial market," he says.